U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,853 of King et al discloses that multi-channel electrode systems are used for high throughput introduction of exogenous molecules into cells. A multi-channel electroporation apparatus includes a plurality of pairs of electrodes positioned in respective ones of a plurality of wells that hold the exogenous materials and the cells. The wells can be in standard 96-well plates, which consist of 8 rows and 12 columns of wells and have a standard size of about 8.5 (W) cm.times.12.7 cm (L), with a standard center-to-center spacing of 9.0 mm between wells.
In FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,853, there is a disclosure of a 384 well multiple well plate and 384 electrode pairs for fitting into the respective 383 wells. It certainly may be a daunting task to properly align the 384 electrode pairs with the 384 wells and to place the respective 384 electrode pairs in proper registration with the respective 384 wells. In this respect, it would be desirable if an apparatus were provided to properly align and register a multiple electrode array with a multiple well plate.
As described in the above-mentioned patent application Ser. No. 10/694,345 entitled IN VITRO, MULTIPLE ELECTRODE PAIR ARRAY AND MULTIPLE TREATMENT CELL APPARATUS FOR USE IN ELECTROPORATION by Walters et al, the amount of frictional resistance to overcome to fit a 96 electrode pair matrix array into a conventional 96 well multiple well plate can be quite substantial. In this respect, it would be desirable if an apparatus were provided which facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance for fitting a 96 electrode pair matrix array into a conventional 96 well multiple well plate. More generally, it would be desirable if an apparatus were provided which facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance for fitting a multiple electrode pair matrix array into a conventional multiple well plate.
Conversely, there is a substantial amount of frictional resistance to overcome to remove a 96 electrode pair matrix array from a 96 well multiple well plate after it has been fitted into a 96 well multiple well plate. In this respect, it would be desirable if an apparatus were provided which facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance to remove a 96 electrode pair matrix array from a conventional 96 well plate. More generally, it would be desirable if an apparatus were provided which facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance to remove a multiple electrode pair matrix array from a conventional multiple well plate.
Each well in a standard 96 rectangular well plate has a predetermined well volume. When pairs of rectangular electrodes are placed into the wells, the predetermined volumes are reduced, thereby leaving a reduced volume for conducting electroporation of materials. To assure that the predetermined volumes are reduced to a minimum by the electrodes so that the remaining volumes available for electroporation are at a maximum, it would be desirable if pairs of rectangular electrodes were placed into the rectangular wells so that the rectangular electrodes closely fit against adjacent walls of the wells.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use multiple electrode pair arrays and multiple well plates, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an apparatus for receiving and aligning a multiple electrode pair array and a multiple well plate for electroporation which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) properly aligns and registers a multiple electrode array with a multiple well plate; (2) facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance for fitting a 96 electrode pair matrix array into a conventional 96 well multiple well plate; (3) facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance for fitting a multiple electrode pair matrix array into a conventional multiple well plate; (4) facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance to remove a 96 electrode pair matrix array from a conventional 96 well plate; (5) facilitates overcoming the frictional resistance to remove a multiple electrode pair matrix array from a conventional multiple well plate; and (6) places pairs of rectangular electrodes into rectangular wells so that the rectangular electrodes closely fit against adjacent walls of the wells. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique apparatus for receiving and aligning a multiple electrode pair array and a multiple well plate of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.